Youthful Boy Below
by Barefoot Starfish
Summary: Prequel To Seven Ancient Wonders. What Zoe and Liam did before being sent to West's team.
1. Chapter 1

**Youthful Boy Below**

"Tell me again," Liam Kissane looked with extreme distaste at the rapidly growing pile of clothes in his arms, "Why am I comin' along on these shenanigans?"

"Because, Liam," Zoe Kissane said dumping more clothes into her brother's muscled arms, "We don't know whether the target likes men or women," she held up a pair of pants that made Liam blush, and discarded them.

"Or both," she added mischievously, dropping a fishnet shirt into her own rapidly growing pile of clothes.

"Please do not add 'at the same time' to that, Zoe, please… for my sanity…" Liam looked over at her.

But it wasn't his sanity Liam was worried for. The Irish commando fidgeted. He looked rather incredulously down at the clothes Zoe kept dropping into his arms. Gaudy, ridiculous, and, Liam raised an eyebrow at the latest addition, far too small by the looks. But, he knew he would wear them. He sighed heavily, he would wear them because Zoe would ask him to. And he could never refuse his Zoe anything.

"Right then," Zoe glanced around the shop one last time, "I think that'll do it."

"You think so? Christ, Zo… you've bought practically one of everything!"

Taking the clothes back to their hotel room, the Kissanes dropped the bags down and began to sift through the purchases. Liam flopped to the floor to pull his clothes out of their bags, Zoe sitting down slightly more gracefully. Liam pulled out a shirt and grimaced, tossing it to the side. Zoe cuffed him across the head.

"That cost ninety-eight pounds, and is pure silk! Be careful with it!"

"Ninety-eight quid?!" Liam looked scandalised, "For that?!"

"Not everyone shops at Asda, brother dear."

Liam glanced down at his t-shirt, with its telltale Asda label, then stuck his tongue out at Zoe childishly, "Nothin' wrong with the clothes from Asda."

Zoe reached out and made an attempt to grab at Liam's tongue, "But prostitutes don't wear clothes from Asda, Li. And for the next three days, that's what we are."

"Nanny Griffiths is rollin' in her grave as we speak," Liam told her solemnly.

"You hated Nanny Griffiths."

"S'why I'm not so bothered about the grave rollin'."

He received another cuff round the head for that. Liam grinned boyishly at Zoe, making her shake her head and grin back. Zoe pulled out a shirt that looked to Liam like it was mostly holes. He blinked at it. Then he looked at Zoe. Liam raised an eyebrow at the shirt.

"I'd wear a black bra underneath it, Liam," Zoe frowned at him, "I'm not completely shameless."

"But…" Liam looked adorably flustered, then waved a hand, "Oh never mind," he went back to pulling clothes out of the bags, "The bloody hell are they?" he held up a pair of what might be pants.

"Those are the pants you'll be wearing tonight, brother mine," Zoe told him, grinning mischievously.

"I couldn't fit an arm into those, let alone my…" Liam coughed and blushed.

"That's the idea, Liam, they're supposed to leave very little to the imagination," Zoe grinned at the flustered look on her brother's face.

Then she held up a pair of pants of her own, "You don't think these would be worn by anyone at a society function, would you, Li?"

Liam snorted at her, then sighed, "So which of this gaudy nonsense am I wearin' tonight?"

Zoe leaned over her brother, fishing through his pile of clothing, "This. And… this," she threw the clothes at him.

Liam pulled the clothes away from his face and looked at them. He sighed, grumbling to himself as he got to his feet with more grace than a man his size should possess. He ducked into the tiny bathroom, gallantly leaving Zoe the bigger room to get changed in. Shutting the door behind him, Liam eyed the clothes warily. Then, with a sigh, he pulled his comfortable Asda t-shirt over his head and slid, with some difficulty, into the ice blue silk shirt.

Next, Liam shimmied out of his well-worn jeans, standing in his boxers as he eyed the pants in his hand dubiously. Then, with yet another long-suffering sigh, Liam shimmied out of his boxers as well, before trying to almost peel the pants up and over his legs. He fidgeted, adjusting himself as he hitched the pants up the final half-inch and zipped them. Standing barefoot in the bathroom, Liam turned reluctantly to inspect himself in the mirror. And blinked.

"Christ in heaven…" he mumbled, face screwing up a little at the man… the prostitute… staring back at him.

He opened the bathroom door, sidling out and resisting, just barely, the urge to cover himself. Liam took one last glance back in the mirror, and shook his head. Better check with Zoe first, just in case. Taking a step out into the main room, Liam kept his eyes on the floor, just in case Zoe hadn't finished dressing yet.

"Zo? You decent, girl?"

"Never. But I do have clothes on."

Liam lifted his head, "Very funny. That only got old after the sec…" the rest of Liam's sentence was lost.

Zoe wasn't facing him, was fishing through the bag their shoes had come in. But Lord… was that really his sister? Liam's eyes traced the slim, shapely legs up to a small, firm arse. His eyes remained glued, for a moment, to the strip of exposed skin across the small of her back and stomach. Then they travelled up, lingering on the line of her cleavage and the swell of her breasts under the top before he shook himself abruptly and swore under his breath, blushing furiously. The hell was wrong with him? That was his sister!

Zoe frowned, pausing with her hands on her strappy heels as Liam's voice trailed off. She waited for a second, letting commando-trained ears scan the room for anything untoward. Finding nothing, she straightened slowly, shoes in hand, and turned to face her brother. And barely stopped her jaw from dropping.

Liam looked good. More than good. Lines of silk traced over his muscled chest and arms, the deep vee of the collar exposing soft-looking skin. The colour of the shirt made his eyes look impossibly blue, something that should belong on a fey creature, not a man. And the pants… Lord, the pants… They looked as though he had painted them on. Zoe's eyes travelled up his muscled thighs, across his silk-covered torso. A stray thought wandered through her mind, musing on what Liam's arse must look like in those pants. Then Zoe froze. Good Christ… she was musing on her brother's arse. She was checking out her baby brother. The hell was wrong with her?

Liam fidgeted uneasily as Zoe looked him over, "So… is it alright?" he prayed to God, St Christopher and anyone who happened to be listening that Zoe hadn't seen him checking her out.

"Aye, Li…" Zoe forced a grin onto her face, "Look like a right hooker, so you do."

Liam shot her a flat look as he pulled on the patent leather combat-esque boots, lacing them high and tight over the ridiculous pants. Standing up, he made a gesture towards the door, sniggering slightly at Zoe as she stumbled a little on the heels. He grabbed her elbow, steadying her.

"Careful, Bloody Mary, you're supposed to know what to do with those."

Zoe gave him a mock glare in return, making Liam smile down at her. And it was only after a too-long pause that Liam realised he was still holding Zoe's elbow, thumb moving in gentle circles over the soft skin. Liam blushed bright red and dropped the offending elbow, moving towards the door.

"Should go now," he started gruffly, "If we want to find the target 'fore midnight."

Zoe shot Liam's back a bewildered look, running small fingers over her elbow, unconsciously trying to mimic the warm pressure of Liam's thumb on her skin. Then the reality of what she was doing hit her, and she stopped, dropping her hands to her sides and shaking herself. Zoe took a deep breath. Regardless of whatever the hell was messed up in her head, something was upsetting Liam, and as soon as they got back from this tail, she was going to find out what it was.

"Right then," Zoe forced an all-business tone into her voice, "Let's go do some street-walkin'."

After five hours of being propositioned by drunken women and even more drunken men, Liam lounged against a telephone pole, not even trying to look seductive. But, Zoe mused inwardly, he still managed to pull it off. He rested against his hands, a tired imitation of parade rest, head lowered almost to his chest, looking at the street through his lashes. It made all six-feet-four of Liam Kissane look coy.

And wasn't that a picture and a half, Zoe thought to herself. Her baby brother, who could kill a man in more ways than she could. Who could pick locks and rewire bombs. And now he's looking like a coy, seductive rentboy. Zoe had to bend her head to hide the snort of laughter that threatened to bubble up and out of her.

"Zo…" Liam pushed himself up and away from the telephone pole, moving to stand in close behind his sister, "By the door of that nightclub, talking to the group of prostitutes."

Unconsciously, Zoe leant back into the warmth of Liam's chest, "That's him. Can you see which prostitutes he's talking to?"

Liam found himself unable to speak for a moment, feeling Zoe's body pressed against his, "Little short are you, Zo?" he managed, finally finding his voice, "He seems to be talking to all of them at once at the…" Liam's voice trailed off, before continuing in a flat tone, "… moment."

"Liam? What?" Zoe rose up on her toes, trying to see, then twisted against Liam's chest to look at him, "What is it?"

"Two seconds, Zo… then you'll see."

Zoe frowned, turning back to the street. She watched for the target, eyes scanning the crowds. There. The target had obviously found himself some company for the night… oh. Oh Lord. Zoe tilted her head back and looked at Liam. Liam resolutely didn't look at her, keeping his eyes glued firmly to the target. Zoe dropped her head back down, eyes on the target again. Draped on each of his arms were two prostitutes. Two blonde haired, blue haired eyed prostitutes. One male, one female. Zoe swallowed hard, barely resisting the urge to look up at Liam again. The prostitutes looked enough alike to be siblings.

They watched the target lead the prostitutes up into his hotel room, before Zoe tilted her head back again, "Come on, Liam, back to the hotel."

Liam barely remembered the walk back to the hotel room, he just remembered flopping gracelessly onto the bed, burying his face in the pillow. This was not right. Why did they send him on this assignment? Why? Zoe sat down on her own bed, with a little more grace, but no less confusion, burying her face in her hands.

"What're we goin' to do, Zoe?" Liam's voice was muffled by his pillow.

"I don't know, Liam, let me think."

Zoe heard the bed creak as Liam sat up abruptly, "Think?! Zoe… what is there to think about? You were watching the same thing I was, weren't ya?"

Zoe raised her head to meet Liam's wide eyes, "Yeah, Li… I was. But we might be able to get him into a room without havin' to…" she blushed.

Liam thumped his head back against the wall, "Christ in heaven, where do they find these people?" he asked no-one in particular, a plaintive note in his voice.

Zoe's head tilted at the almost despairing note in Liam's voice, "Liam? What is it? Somethin's been buggin' you since we started this mission…"

Liam kept his head leant back against the wall, "The mission's been buggin' me, Zoe. That's all. S'not my kinda mission."

Zoe nodded, "The first time you've been sent on an 'at all costs' mission, ain't it?"

Liam nodded in return, "The idea of actually bein' a prostitute to bring someone in don't really sit right with me, Zo."

"S'alright, Li. I understand," Zoe offered him a small smile, which was returned with a weak imitation of Liam's boyish grin.

Zoe frowned, "That ain't all, though, is it, Liam?"

Liam remained stubbornly quiet. Zoe raised an eyebrow at him. Liam scowled, mouth a thin line. Zoe sighed, giving him a pleading look. Liam's face softened for a moment, then he resolutely turned his head away, refusing to look at her. Zoe sighed, then moved to sit next to Liam on his bed.

"What's going on up there, Liam?" she tapped the side of his head.

Liam snorted despondently, fiddling with the St Christopher medal around his neck, "Lots of things that would get a Catholic lad sent on a one way road to Hell."

Zoe's eyes widened a little as a possible answer presented itself, "Liam… if this is a roundabout way of tellin' me that you might enjoy sleepin' with that man…" she touched his arm, "Don't worry, I started wonderin' about you when you were thirteen years old."

That was met with a sour look and a poked tongue, "That's not what I'm worried about, Zoe."

"Then what, Liam?!"

Liam Kissane sighed deeply, and decided to bite the bullet, "It ain't sleepin' with the man I'm worried about enjoyin'," he shot his sister a devilish smirk, "I know I'll enjoy that."

Zoe rolled her eyes at him, then frowned as Liam's smirk faded, "It… Zoe…" he turned his head away, hunching his muscled shoulders against an invisible blow, "It's sleepin' with you I'm worried about enjoyin'," he forced out in a rush.


	2. Chapter 2

Zoe stilled abruptly, slowly removing her hand from Liam's arm. She winced, wishing she hadn't, as Liam's shoulders hunched even more, looking almost painful. Her heart broke in two as she watched Liam's shoulders begin to shake silently. Zoe reached out, stopped, then reached out again. She hesitantly rested her hand on Liam's shoulder, moving her hand in slow, soothing circles.

"Liam…" she said quietly, and stopped, not sure how to continue.

"Don't Zoe, just don't," Liam tried to shrug off her hand.

"Liam, it's okay."

Those three words, in turn, made Liam freeze. He slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder at Zoe. Eyes wide in his head, Liam tensed. Moving hesitantly, knowing that even though she was a crack commando, Liam could kill her easily, Zoe continued moving her hand in slow circles. But she slid it up, moving her hand along Liam's shoulder, up his neck, across his jaw, finally cupping his cheek in one small hand.

"Liam…" she repeated, meeting his eyes steadily, "Its okay."

With a warning tone that made his already deep voice even deeper, "Zoe Tamsyn Kissane… that isn't funny."

Zoe's eyes, so like her brother's, narrowed in warning as well, "Do I look like I'm laughing?"

Liam slumped in defeat, "No… not really."

With one hand still cupping Liam's cheek and unconsciously running a thumb across his cheek bone, Zoe used the other to rake a hand through her hair, "Christ… I… Fuck, Liam!"

A dreamy look on his face as he leaned into the soft touch of his sister's hand on his face, Liam didn't bother to censor his words, "Good idea…" he murmured.

A stricken look crossed both Kissanes faces as they realised what Liam had just said, "Jesus…" Zoe breathed, breath hitching slightly.

Liam tried to move, the stricken, deer-in-headlights look still on his face. But Zoe moved faster, throwing her shoulder into Liam's chest and knocking him onto his back on the bed. Liam stared, wide-eyed up at her, as Zoe straddled his thighs instinctively to keep him from moving. His breath hitched in his throat as Zoe, his sister, he thought rather hysterically, gazed down at him.

"Christ, Liam…" Zoe shook her head, slumping her shoulders, which made her shift against him.

Liam bit back the rising whimper, fidgeting uneasily underneath her, "Zoe…"

Zoe bit her lip as Liam squirmed between her thighs, "Christ in heaven, Liam, this is a fucked up family."

Liam thumped his head back against the pillow with a snort, "So we are, Zo, so we are."

Zoe traced her fingers along Liam's cheekbones and down to his jaw, almost absently, "Should probably go…" she marvelled at the way Liam turned his face into the touch, almost nuzzling her hand.

"Probably…" he murmured into her palm, making no attempt to move.

Zoe didn't move either. She kept her hand resting against Liam's face, feeling the warmth of his skin against her fingers. Then Liam, her baby brother, someone she'd barely even thought of as a sexual being, did something that made her shudder helplessly. Turning his face even closer into Zoe's hand, Liam parted his lips and pressed a soft, open-mouthed kiss to her palm, gently flicking the tip of his tongue over one of the lines in her hand.

"Liam…" the breathy sigh slipped out before she could stop it.

Blue eyes met blue, so very alike. Zoe sat back on her heels, then slowly, reluctantly, slid off Liam's thighs and stood on the floor. Liam turned his head to look at her, still on his back. Then, with a sigh, he stood up, towering over Zoe in a way that should have intimidated her but only made her feel oddly safe.

"Need to go?" he said, eyes never leaving her face.

Zoe nodded, "The target can't possibly get through more than two sets of prostitutes in one night," she replied, obviously reluctant.

Liam nodded as well, snorting at Zoe's comment, "Right then," he injected a business-like tone into his voice, "Lets do it," a light blush crossed his cheeks at the unintended innuendo.

Zoe chose not to comment, instead crossing the room and opening the door. She waited until she heard Liam's clomping footsteps behind her before she slipped out of the door and into her persona as one of the local prostitutes. Liam followed, sliding into step next to her. Together the two of them walked out of the hotel and down to the street they had seen the target at the night before.

They slid themselves into the group of local streetwalkers, glaring viciously at any blonde haired, blue eyed prostitutes that could potentially wreck their mission until they left. The only blonde haired, blue eyed people left in the group, Liam and Zoe Kissane settled in and waited. But not for long.

"There!" Liam hissed into Zoe's ear, making Zoe's body tingle in a way she did not want to acknowledge right now.

"Gotcha…" Zoe murmured as the target turned, eyes lighting up as he spotted them.

"This way, mate… That's it…" she could hear Liam muttering behind her and unconsciously leant back into the broad warmth of his chest.

The target abruptly changed directions, heading straight for them, making a predatory smile cross over both Kissanes faces. The target's eyes appeared to glaze a little at that, although, Liam allowed, that could've been the streetlamps. Liam felt Zoe straighten against him and had to bite his lip as Zoe's movement made the silk of his shirt brush enticingly across his nipples.

The target stopped right in front of them, eyeing them up and down, "You two together?"

Liam caught on quickly and wrapped his arms around Zoe's waist from behind, as she replied, "Mmhmm, a package deal, if you will, sweet."

Liam purred, "Think you can handle the two of us, mate?"

The target nodded slowly, "Hell yes, I want some of that."

Zoe tapped an abstract rhythm on Liam's hands on her waist, "You got a place for us then, sweet?"

The target nodded again and turned away, expecting Liam and Zoe to follow. Zoe took a moment to steady herself with a deep breath, squeezing Liam's hands reassuringly, before sauntering off after the target. Liam took his own deep breath and clenched his fists a couple of times, missing already Zoe's warmth against him, before following the target and Zoe himself.

The target fumbled with a hotel room keycard in his haste, making the Kissanes exchange glances and fight smirks. Finally getting the green light on the door handle, the target hurriedly pushed open the door and all but fell inside. Zoe and Liam followed more gracefully, eyes scanning the room for possible exits and traps. The target sat down expectantly on a corner of the bed. Satisfied the room was safe, Zoe gave the target a seductive smile.

"Well, sweet…" she stalked across the room to him, pushing him back onto the bed and straddling his chest, "Where do you want us?"

The target ran his hands up Zoe's thighs, forcing Liam to bite down on an unexpected surge of jealousy, "Actually, lovely, I like to watch."

Oh God… And Liam was certainly not expecting the surge of heat and lust that came with that particular statement. The target wanted to watch. Wanted to watch him. And Zoe. Him and Zoe… together. He was suddenly glad the pants were so restrictive. He looked across the target at Zoe. More importantly, Zoe's flushed face and slightly glazed eyes. Christ… Zoe… Zoe wanted this too.

Liam's eyes fixed on the target and smirked, "I think we can accommodate that, mate. You'll have to give up the bed, though."

Zoe slid off the target's chest, allowing him to get up and make his way over to a chair, turning it to face the bed. The bed. Oh God in heaven… they were actually going to… Liam took a deep breath and walked on legs he refused to admit were shaking over to Zoe. She raised her eyes up to meet his. Liam took another shaky breath, curling one muscled arm around Zoe's waist, sliding two fingers into her back pocket and pulling her in close to him.

Leaning down and nuzzling her neck, Liam murmured into Zoe's ear, "Sure about this, Zo?"

He was a little surprised by the almost purring sound Zoe seemed to be making as he nuzzled the skin by her ear, "I… mmm… yeah, Li… do it."

That was enough for Liam. His other arm snaked around Zoe's waist and he pulled her in against him. He swallowed her soft gasp by pressing his lips to hers, gently flicking the tip of his tongue over them, trying to get them to part. Zoe parted her lips almost eagerly, allowing Liam to gently slide his tongue against hers, exploring her mouth carefully.

They pulled back, both gasping for air and flushed. Zoe looked up at Liam. Her baby brother looked utterly awed. A small smile crossed her face. He ain't seen nothin' yet. Sliding one hand up the back of Liam's silk shirt, she curled the other hand around the back of his neck and pulled him in for another kiss. This time it was Zoe's tongue that demanded entrance. And got it, Liam's moistened lips parting willingly under the onslaught.

Zoe, ever bold, curled a leg around Liam's thigh as she hungrily explored his mouth. Liam groaned into her mouth and shivered lightly as he felt her rock against the hard muscles of his leg. He wrenched his mouth away and slid his hands underneath Zoe's arse. A soft squeeze made her gasp and jerk her hips hard against his thigh. Liam smirked to himself, lifting her up easily and pulling her against him, smiling as she instantly wrapped her legs around his waist.

Liam carried Zoe easily over to the bed. He made a move to lay her down carefully, then snorted when she glared at him. He rolled his eyes and lay down on the bed himself, leaving Zoe straddling his hips. Zoe grinned predatorily at him and rocked her hips, making him shudder and her tilt her head back in pleasure.

In a voice Liam refused to acknowledge as high-pitched, he teased, "Shoulda guessed you'd like it on top…"

He shuddered again as Zoe practically purred at him, "Did you expect anything less?"

"No…" he breathed out on a shaky exhale, then grinned slowly at her, "But I may have to object."

And before Zoe could protest, he'd flipped them both, using his superior strength to pin her smaller frame underneath him. Zoe looked up at him, slightly wide-eyed, and immediately wrapped her legs around his waist once more. This time it was Liam's turn to rock against her. Holding himself above her body with strength borne of years of military training, Liam rocked his hips into Zoe, making her shudder and writhe underneath him.

"Christ…" she blasphemed sharply, arching up into Liam.

"Less clothes… now!" Liam abruptly stopped rocking his hips, making Zoe glare furiously at him for a moment until the meaning of his words filtered into her mind.

"Right… right…" she agreed breathlessly as Liam sat back and pulled off the silk shirt, moaning hoarsely as it brushed across his nipples, "Less clothes… yes…"

She fumbled a little with the hooks on her corseted top, then snarled in frustration until her fingers steadied and she could undo the hooks without any more trouble. Liam snickered at her as he undid the button on his pants. His snickers faded away and his jaw dropped as Zoe slithered out of her top, revealing to him that she hadn't been wearing a bra underneath.


	3. Chapter 3

"Bloody hell…"

Liam reached out slightly hesitantly, curling big hands around Zoe's torso and stroking down her breasts with his thumbs. The low groan that Zoe gave him in return was enough to make him almost painfully hard. He shifted his hands, bringing them around to cup her breasts gently. Liam could feel Zoe trembling against his hands and pulled her in close to him, pressing his lips to hers once more, moaning at the feel of skin on skin.

It was Zoe that pulled back first this time, tugging at the front of Liam's pants, arching her hips into the muscles of his thighs, "Off. Off now!"

Liam grabbed her by the hips and stood up, setting Zoe neatly on her feet. He fumbled with the zipper, swearing foully as he did, before finally yanking it down and peeling the pants down his legs. He swore again as he realised he'd forgotten about his boots, bending double to untie them and unwittingly giving Zoe a perfect view of his naked arse.

Dancing a little as he pulled off his boots, Liam righted himself and shimmied the rest of the way out of his pants, turning back to find Zoe staring at him hungrily. Liam's eyes bored into Zoe's for a moment, returning the hungry gaze, before they slowly travelled down the rest of her now nude body.

"Christ…" he breathed harshly, "Zo… come here, please…" part of his brain that was still somewhat coherent hated the pleading tone in his voice.

Zoe obviously didn't hate the pleading tone because she all but threw herself at him, plastering herself against his body and dragging his head down for another kiss. Liam couldn't help the ragged jerk of his hips at the feel of Zoe's warm body against his. He went willingly, pulled along as though Zoe were the stronger of the two, when she walked backwards towards the bed again, still kissing him passionately.

Liam caught her when the backs of Zoe's knees hit the bed. He lowered her back onto it, breathing harshly as she spread her legs, allowing him to settle between them. Liam lowered himself down until he was just above Zoe's body, pressing a soft kiss to her lips then slowly kissing his way down her neck and chest. Zoe panted harshly underneath him, arching into his touch.

"Jesus… Liam… Please!" the final word was accompanied by a sudden buck of Zoe's hips as the stubble of Liam's chin brushed across a nipple.

"Okay… okay…" Liam seemed to be soothing himself more than Zoe.

Looking down at Zoe for a second and seeing nothing but lust and want in her eyes, Liam shuddered, dropping his head down onto her shoulder and slowly pushing himself into her. He groaned into Zoe's neck, feeling the tight, wet heat grip him. He could both feel and hear Zoe's cries as she arched her back, trying to make him move faster.

Liam panted harshly into Zoe's neck, using his weight to keep her pinned to the bed, otherwise… Christ… this would be over far too soon. Bringing himself under control, Liam pushed himself up on his arms. He looked down at Zoe's face, flushed pink, eyes closed, lips parted as she too panted harshly. She wanted this… as much as he wanted this. The knowledge was enough to make Liam moan low in his throat and begin to move.

God… Oh God… Zoe tried to force her thoughts into something more than a list of deities. But as Liam began to move inside her, even the list of deities floated away and Zoe was left in a roiling haze of pleasure. Someone was calling out… It took Zoe a moment to realise that it was her. And she was begging. The crack Irish commando, Zoe Tamsyn Kissane, begging.

It took another moment for the senseless mumblings to separate into actual words, "Oh Jesus, Liam… Please! Want it now! Please…" some part of her thought she should be ashamed of the low whine the crept into her voice on the last word, the rest of her, however, just arched up into Liam's next well-placed thrust and groaned.

It was like something out of the Twilight Zone, Liam watched in awe; lust and thrumming pleasure fogging his brain as Zoe writhed and bucked underneath him. He thrust into her, hips moving seemingly of their own accord, feeling the familiar tightening at the base of his spine. Liam curled an arm around Zoe's waist, pulling her up into him as he thrust down. The last remaining shred of coherency he had took a moment to be proud of the hoarse, lusty cry that tore from Zoe's throat, before all thought fled and Liam Kissane became a mindless creature of pleasure.

Liam could hear his own moans from somewhere far away, still pulling a throaty cry from Zoe with every thrust into her willing body. Dropping his head into the crook of Zoe's neck and nipping at her collarbone, before soothing it with a quick swipe of his tongue, Liam could feel orgasm fast approaching. He reached between their sweat-drenched bodies with the hand that had previously curled around Zoe's waist.

Zoe keened softly, feeling Liam's hand brush down over her stomach, then head lower still. Her soft noises were swallowed by Liam's hungry mouth pressing against hers, his tongue twining with hers. Liam's hand moved lower still, and began rubbing insistently between their two bodies. Zoe wrenched her mouth from Liam's with a harsh cry, hips bucking frantically into the hand stroking her and the man inside her.

Liam's hand was insistent, his thrusting body equally so, and it was all Zoe could do to gasp out, "Bloody Christ Jesus… Liam!" and arch her back almost double as orgasm swept through her with an almost painful intensity.

Liam's insistent thrusting and his steady groaned litany of "Oh God, Zoe, damn it…" lasted for mere seconds after Zoe threw back her head and tightened around him.

"Fuck!" Liam's strangled shout was buried in Zoe's hair as he thrust erratically and shuddered as his own orgasm washed over him.

Letting himself flop to the side rather than squish his Zoe, Liam took in great heaving breaths, a dopey, sated smile curling his lips. He shifted his hips a little, pulling out and looking down at Zoe. Zoe shifted sinuously against him, a similarly sated smile crossing her own face. Liam's smile turned warm and affectionate and he leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Zoe's head, feeling her return kiss against the skin of his shoulder.

The sound of slow applause startled them both, dragging them both back down to reality and making them remember that they were not alone. Liam jerked, flipping over and sitting up with a start. He felt Zoe bolt upright behind him and shifted, shielding her body with his own. The target smirked at them both, still clapping.

"Like the show, sweet?" Zoe hastily dragged her persona of street prostitute back on again.

The target simply raised an eyebrow, and it was enough to make Liam's heart leap into his throat, "More than you could imagine…" he smirked, and added, "Bloody Mary."

"Shit…" Liam breathed, suddenly horrified, "Who the fuck are you?"

The target's smirk grew ever wider, and he moved for the door, falsely confident, "I'm exactly who you and your sister think I am, Gunman."

He paused with his hand on the door handle, "And now," he said, holding up a still-running videophone with one hand, "I have something that may keep your supervisors from killing me for a little while longer."

That was his biggest mistake. Zoe vaulted out of the bed, not caring a whit that she was stark naked and still flushed from the best sex of her life. She was across the room in three quick strides pinning the target to the wall with a painful sounding thud. She yanked the videophone out of his hand, staring at the stunned face of her CO in the opposite screen, swore vulgarly and flipped it shut, ending the call.

The target snickered, despite having his face pressed against the wall, "Oh dear… not who you were expecting, Bloody Mary?"

Zoe spun him around, pinning him to the wall by his throat. She drove a well aimed fist into his stomach, turning his snickers into choking wheezes. Liam had by now slid off the bed after her, moving across the room far more quietly than any man his size had a right to.

"The fuck are you playin' at?" he snarled at the man his sister had pinned to the wall.

"Like I said," the target gasped out around Zoe's arm across his throat, "Thanks to you two and your… perversities… I now have something that may prove more useful to your supervisors than my death."

"Motherfucker…" Zoe hissed in his ear, "You won't get the chance to prove your usefulness to my supervisors."

It was, perhaps, an error made in haste. The post-coital haze still fogging her mind, maybe. Whichever it was, it was still a critical mistake. One that Sergeant Zoe Tamsyn Kissane should never have made. She only pinned one of the target's arms. Only one. The other was left free. Liam noticed, almost too late, eyes widening as a glint of light on metal flared.

"Zoe! Move!" without waiting for her, Liam grabbed his sister by the arms, ignoring her snarl of protest, and swung her out of the way.

Twisting away from Zoe and into the target's attack, Liam growled as a sharp stinging pain slashed its way across his stomach. Ignoring it for the moment, he lashed out, driving one meaty fist into the target's stomach. The blade dropped from the target's hand, allowing Liam to flick it away with his foot. Then, still moving, Liam's hand slid up the target's chest and broke his neck with an audible snap.

Taking a step back, and still keeping his back to Zoe, Liam let the target's body slide limply to the floor. Wincing again at the stinging pain in his side, he pressed a hand to it and looked down, grimacing at the short gash that had been opened up across his ribs. He felt, rather than heard, Zoe step up beside him.

"Li…" just his nickname, spoken softly.

"S'fine, Zoe. Just a nick," he turned to face her, a small, sad smile curling his lips.

"Sit down. Let me see it," it was not a request.

Liam allowed himself to be pulled down onto the bed. He let Zoe peel his hand away from the gash. Zoe hissed furiously at seeing it, running careful fingers around the wound. She glanced around the room before finally yanking the topsheet off the bed and tearing it into strips. Liam winced, hissing in pain as she pressed one of the strips against the wound.

"Fuck it, Zoe, that hurts!" he growled.

"Hush it, you big baby," she grumbled back, a soft smile up at him taking any sting out of the words, "So much for the Irish crack commandos."

Carefully cleaning the wound as much as possible, Zoe bandaged it as best she could, tying the piece of sheet off tightly. She stroked gentle fingers over the bandages, eyes troubled, before looking up at Liam and sighing. Leaning in, she pressed her lips to the skin just above the bandages, feeling Liam breathe underneath her. Zoe pulled back, looking up at Liam again, eyes still troubled.


	4. Chapter 4

"Christ in heaven, Liam…"

Liam nodded, "I know… What do we do now?"

Zoe turned to him, wiping blood, his blood, onto the sheets, "Do? Liam… what can we do?" her eyes were bleak, making Liam's stomach drop, "We get the fuck out."

"Get dressed," Liam changed the subject quietly, "We can't be found with a dead body."

Zoe nodded silently, sliding off the bed and pulling her clothes back on with sharp, jerky movements. Liam followed her, slower because of the gash in his side. He winced as he tried to pull his boots back on. Zoe turned, seeing Liam struggle to tie the laces without pulling the wound in his side open even more. Still silent, mouth pressed into a hard line, she dropped to her knees in front of him and tugged his foot into her lap, quickly tying first one boot, then the other.

The sudden ringing of the dead man's phone startled them both, making Zoe exchange a look with Liam, "Christ in heaven, what now?"

They both stared at the jangling phone as it vibrated around in circles, "Answer it?" Liam asked hesitantly.

Zoe sighed, walking over to the phone, "Why the bloody hell not? It ain't like they don't know everythin' already…"

Liam blanched at that and the disgusted tone of Zoe's voice, turning his head away as she answered the phone with a curt, "Kissane. What do you want?"

"Get your arses back to base. Christ, Zoe…" the CO's voice sounded sickened.

"Is that all, sir?" Zoe bit out.

"Just get back here. Then we need to talk," the CO's voice turned icy cold.

"Sir, yes, sir," Zoe's voice was equally cold as she clicked the phone shut.

The cold demeanour fell away and Zoe let the phone fall to the floor. Liam's heart clenched at the hopeless look on her face and he took a step towards her. Zoe stepped back, out of his reach. Liam's face crumpled and he turned away, voice gruff to hide the emotions churning inside him.

"Need to go if we're supposed to be back at the base."

"Liam…" Zoe's voice, no, he didn't want to hear it.

Liam headed for the door, one hand pressed against his side, ears still listening for Zoe's quiet footsteps behind him. There was nothing for a moment. Then a hitching sigh. Then quiet footsteps followed him out of the room and out of the hotel.

"Liam…" Zoe tried again, desperation starting to lace her voice as they walked into their own hotel room.

"What d'you want me to say, Zoe?" Liam's voice was quiet, his broad back to her as he spoke, "That I regret it? That I only did it coz of the mission?" he bent down with a quiet hiss and retrieved his duffel bag, "I'd be lyin' if I said either of those things."

A lone tear rolled down Zoe's cheek, "Shit…" she mumbled, brushing it away angrily, "Liam, at least look at me, please."

Slowly, as though the weight of the world were on his shoulders, Liam turned, duffel bag still in his hands. He looked at his sister, eyes bleak but filled with a kind of painful love. Zoe's heart clenched. She shook her head abruptly and took the two steps between them quickly, sliding her arms around Liam's waist and into the back pockets of his pants.

"Stupid," she mumbled into his chest, rubbing her cheek against the silk of his shirt, "M'so stupid."

She felt Liam relax against her, one big hand coming up to stroke her hair, "Yeah, y'are a bit," she heard the light teasing in his voice, "But I know you, Bloody Mary, I know what you were tryin' to do."

Zoe made a questioning noise into his chest and he continued, "You were tryin' to push me away. S'what you do," he said matter-of-factly, "You make people angry enough to say 'Well, fuck you' then you can justify leavin' them."

Zoe frowned, opening her mouth to speak, but Liam steamrollered over the top of her, "But I know the tactics. So I can employ counterstrategies," he smiled down at her, "Like this," he leaned down and brushed a gentle, feather light kiss across her lips.

Zoe sighed, murmuring happily into Liam's chest, before stiffening slightly, "We need to get to the base," she said, voice turning bleak once more.

Liam nodded, still stroking her hair, "So we do. But we're a pair now, right? You and me?"

"Right…" Zoe nuzzled her brother's chest once more then straightened with a sigh, "Let's go."

Both Zoe and Liam could feel eyes pricking into their backs as they walked through the base. But both knew that this was something their CO would not have spread around the base. It… they… were not likely to be the subject of speculation and gossip. At least not in that form. The Kissanes kept their heads held high, their steps measured as they walked towards their CO's office.

Liam knocked on the door, waiting for the muffled, "Enter," before he let Zoe push it open, pressing gingerly on his side again.

The Kissane's CO looked up from his desk as the siblings entered. He saw who had walked into his office and scowled, face setting into a stony countenance. Liam kept his face impassive, settling into a parade rest, despite the wound in his side. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zoe do the same.

The CO's face grew even more angry at that, "The fuck were you two thinking?" he bit out, a sickened look crossing his face, dropping all pretence and preliminaries.

"Sir…" Zoe began.

"No!" her CO cut her off abruptly with a sharp movement of his hand, "I don't even want to bloody hear it. Christ…" he rubbed a hand over his eyes as though trying to erase what he'd seen, "I saw it all, Zoe."

"'At all costs', you said, sir," Liam's deep voice interrupted the CO.

"Aye!" the CO snapped, "And I meant that we'd forgive you your sins. Screwin' another man, Liam. Homosexual activity. Or Zoe playin' the whore. Not… that. God in heaven, Liam… I watched you fuck your sister!"

Zoe snarled back, utterly furious now, "And I'll bet you fuckin' loved it, didn't you, sir?! Have a good wank while you were at it? Eat some fuckin' popcorn, maybe?"

The CO flushed an angry crimson and stood up, "Do not take that tone with me, soldier!"

Zoe was about to give another snarled response when she was stopped by Liam's forcibly calm voice, "With what little respect is due, sir, how did the target get the videophone? How did he know who we were? And just how did he know to call the base?"

The CO squirmed a little under Liam's quiet scrutiny and sighed, still trying to maintain his intimidating persona, "He was one of ours. Went AWOL during a mission and compromised a lot of valuable information."

Zoe's eyes narrowed, "So all that shite about you sendin' us because you weren't sure whether he preferred men or women? All bollocks?"

"Not necessarily," the CO defended weakly, "We don't know whether he prefers men or women…"

Zoe shook her head in disgust, "But you knew he liked to watch. You'd have to have known. You had intel on just about everythin' else."

Liam scowled, "But you sent us in because we would be the best for the take down, knowing that. You practically set us up."

The CO snapped back nastily and immaturely, caught on the back foot, "I didn't force you to stick it in your sister!"

Zoe let out an indignant cry at that and took a furious step forward, but Liam grabbed her arm, pulling her back, "Leave it be, Zo… leave it be," he murmured quietly to her, whilst glaring evilly at the CO.

"So, sir," Liam ground out the honorific, voice barely above a growl, "What becomes of us now?"

The CO shot them another disgusted look, obviously not realising just how close he'd come to having the infamous Bloody Mary snap his neck and rip off his balls, not necessarily in that order, "Much to my dismay, we can not discharge you. You're too damn good. But Christ in heaven, I sure as hell don't want you here."

Liam's eyes narrowed, "Then where are we goin', sir?"

Two files were shoved across the desk, the CO yanking his hands back as the Kissanes reached for them, "A coalition of nations. Ireland is part of it. You'll be the military representatives. Mission starts at County Kerry, then goes wherever the bloody hell the team leader says it goes. Understood?"

"Understood," both Kissanes ground out.

"Then," the CO looked at them with distaste, "Grab your kit and get the fuck outta my sight."

Zoe banged around the bunkroom, hurling her things in the general direction of her oversized duffel. How dare he?! How goddamn dare he?! A lamp sailed across the room to smash against the wall. Zoe stood in the centre of the room, panting harshly in her anger. The door to the bunkroom opened slowly, hesitantly. She spun on it, lips pulling back to curse out whoever was stupid enough to disturb her.

"Zoe? You alright in here? I heard a smash…" Liam slid into the room, freshly dressed in combat pants and a khaki t-shirt, wound stitched and bandaged from the infirmary.

He caught sight of the pieces of lamp on the floor, "Ah… I see."

Zoe slumped, anger draining from her at the sound of Liam's soft, deep voice, "Christ…" she muttered, dropping on the bunk and burying her face in her hands.

She heard the thud of Liam's duffel hitting the floor and the click of the door closing, then felt the bunk dip as he sat next to her, curling an arm around her waist, "I know, Zoe, I know."

Zoe sighed, resting her head against Liam's shoulder, "Such a bullshit mission. 'Military representatives'. My arse."

Liam snorted, "I know. But its either that or we both meet with the same 'unfortunate accidents' that our target was supposed to meet with."

Zoe nodded against his chest and stood up, moving more calmly around the bunk and packing her things, "How's the cut?"

Liam absently pressed his hand gingerly against his side, "Wasn't much. Antiseptic and five stitches, that's all."

Zoe turned back to him, duffel in hand, "You were lucky, Li. It coulda been so much worse."

Liam nodded, conceding the point and standing up himself. He picked up his own duffel and gestured to the door, raising an eyebrow. Zoe nodded, scooping her duffel up onto her shoulder and heading for the door. The two Kissanes left the bunk, the barracks, the base and the army life they knew. They boarded the plane that would take them to County Kerry and their newest mission. The door to the plane swung shut, cutting the Kissanes off from the only life they had known, and forcing them into another, newer, far more intimidating one.


End file.
